Late Brenes goal salvages point for Ticos

By foxsports
Published

Substitute Randall Brenes scored in the closing seconds of stoppage time to give Costa Rica a 1-1 draw with El Salvador in the Gold Cup on Sunday.

Brenes, who entered in the match in 80th minute, sent in a low shot from inside the box that beat Miguel Montes to the far post as Costa Rica remained unbeaten in Group A after a 5-0 win over Cuba on Sunday.

Rodolfo Zelaya scored from a free kick in the 45th minute for El Salvador, which had withstood Costa Rica's second-half surge until the closing seconds. El Salvador lost 5-0 to Mexico in its tournament opener.

''We are improving. I think we played 50 or 60 percent better than we played against Cuba,'' Costa Rica coach Ruben Israel said. ''We handled the ball al lot. We were able to shoot the ball a lot of times. But when you are not scoring, you're not scoring.''

El Salvador coach Ricardo La Volpe was angered by American referee Jair Marrufo's decision to award four minutes of added time, then some additional time that allowed for Costa Rica to draw.

''We are very upset about the last-minute goal,'' La Volpe said. ''The referee added four minutes and it was a huge exaggeration. And aside of those four minutes he even added another minute. I'm really, really upset about this. I don't judge the result of this game, but it's an uncomfortable situation.''

David Guzman was ruled offside when he found the net for Costa Rica in the 68th minute. Eight minutes later, El Salvador's Osael Romero missed a chance from the area in front of an empty net.

''I love the way the team played against a team that wasn't trying to score,'' Israel said. ''They were just playing for our errors.''

Now Israel will prepare to face Mexico, which overcame the distraction of a potential doping scandal to beat Cuba 5-0 later Thursday.

The Mexican soccer federation on Thursday suspended five players - including PSV Eindhoven defender Francisco Rodriguez and goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa - for testing positive for a banned substance.

''When we got to the locker room they told us that information,'' La Volpe said of Mexico's potential doping scandal. ''I'm going to wait for the official CONCACAF release before I tell the press what's my opinion.''